Adjustable skirt



June 8, 1948. 1. sAcHs ADJUSTABLE SKIRT Filed Nov. 8, 1945 lRVlNG SACHSINVENTOR ZMM ATTO R N EY Patented June 8, 1948 ADJUSTABLE SKIRT IrvingSachs, New York, N. Y., assignor to Jain- Sax Clothing (30., Inc., NewYork, N. Y.

Application November 8, 1945, Serial No. 627,486

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates generally to skirts and the like and moreparticularly to an adjustable skirt, particularly suited for wear byWomen during the various stages of pregnancy.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide anadjustable skirt construction in which ample provision is made foradjustment in the effective girth of the garment to accommodate thechanges in girth sizes of pregnant women. While the present inventionpresents its greatest utility in garments in which relatively largevariations in girth are required, where desired the same may be utilizedto accommodate relatively smaller changes and thus in smaller sizes maybe used for growing girls. Furthermore, in ready made skirts, thevariations in girth provided by the present invention, permit a lessernumber of sizes being utilized to fit a relatively complete range ofgarment sizes.

Another object herein lies in the provision of skirt structure of theclass described which presents a symmetrical and attractive appearancethroughout the extremes in variation in girth SlZe.

Another object herein lies in the provision, of an adjustable skirtconstruction which is comfortable to wear in the several sizeadjustments thereof.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the garment presents anattractive appearance which tends to conceal the adjustable structurethereof.

Another object herein lies in the provision of structure of the classdescribed which may be manufactured in a relatively simple manner, sothat skirts made in accordance therewith may have a low cost and aconsequently wide distribution.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fullyappear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in theappended claim.

In the drawings in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front view in perspective of an embodiment of theinvention as worn. In this figure the skirt is shown in an intermediateadjusted position thereof.

Figure 2 is a front view in perspective corresponding generally toFigure 1 but showing the skirt in the smallest girth adjustment thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View in perspective corresponding generally toFigure 1 but showing the skirt in the largest girth adjustment thereof.

.the waist band l3.

Figure 4 is an enlarged rear fragmentary view in perspective showing therear portions of the upper forward parts of the skirt.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from theplane 55 on Figure 1.

In accordance with the invention the skirt generally indicated byreference character Ill comprises broadly a front panel H, a rear panell2, 2. waist band I3 having a central portion l4, laterally disposedfront portions I5 and I3, and a rear portion IT.

The front panel H at the Vertical edges thereof and the rear panel l2 atthe vertical edges thereof may be interconnected by vertically disposedseams (not specifically illustrated) in a well known manner to providethe general tubular or cylindrical body of the skirt. The waist band 13is preferably composed of a single elongated strip of material and issecured to the upper edge of the body 20 extending downwardly asubstantial distance as seen in the drawings. The waist band l3 may besecured in position by the horizontally disposed annular rows ofstitches l8 and It. The length of the waist band I3 is substantiallyequal to the circumference of the upper edge 2| of the body 20.

Disposed outwardly of an imaginary line vertically bisecting the frontpanel I l are a pair of oppositely and outwardly disposed folds and 26.These folds extend the complete height of the skirt and include not onlythe body 20 but also The upper portions of the folds 25 and 26 have theouter and inner layers thereof interconnected by the rows of stitches 21and 28, respectively. The row 21 extends vertically through asubstantial distance and then is diagonally arranged in a laterallyoutward direction at 29. Similarly. the row of stitches 23 is diagonallyarranged at 30.

The rows of stitches 21 and 28, and particularly upwardly and outwardlythereof, define girth sizing members 3| and 32. Each of the members 3|and 32 is provided with a plurality of button holes 33 and 34respectively. As seen in the drawings the button holes 33 and 34 aresubstantially horizontally disposed and are arranged in vertical rows oneach of the members 3| and 32.

Located outwardly of the fold 25 is the right front panel portion 35,and similarly, located outwardly of the fold 26 is the left front panelportion 36. Each of the panel portion-s 35 and 36 are provided with aplurality of buttons arranged in vertical rows to correspond to thevertical rows of button holes 33 and 34. Thus the panel portion 35 hasthe rows of buttons 4|, 43 and 45 while the panel portion 36 has therows of buttons 42, 44 and 46. The rows 4|, 43 and 45 are preferablysubstantially parallel or they may taper slightly inwardly in an upwarddirection approaching the waist band |3. The spacing between the row 4|and the row 43 and the spacing between the row 42 and the row 44 aresubstantially equal, and similarly the spacing between the row 43 andthe row 45, and the row 44 and the row 46, are substantially equal.

In the position of the parts in which the smallest effectivecircumference of the waist band I3 is produced, the girth sizing members3| and 32 are engaged upon the rows of buttons 45 and 46 and as a resultof this the front panel portions 35 and 36 have folds 5|] and 5|,Connected to said panel portions, at said folds, and located asubstantial distance below the upper edge 2| are a pair of tie members52 and 53. These tie members may be interconnected as for example bytying a bow 54 therein and they serve to support the garment portions inand adjacent the folds 50 and 5| so that they do not gap or dropdownwardly. By virtue of the fact that the button holes 33 and 34 arerelatively elongated, minor or relatively intermediate adjustments ineffective girth of the garment may be obtained by varying the distancebetween the points 55 and 56 at which the inner ends of the tie members52 and 53 are attached to the garment. By virtue of the fact that thefabric of which the skirt I is composed has a limited amount ofresiliency, wearing stresses produce an equilibrium in the strain of theties 52 and 53 and the connections of the buttons (then active) totheir:-

respective button holes. In obtaining the most comfortable adjustment ofthe ties, the user ties them into a bow for this purpose.

In an intermediate position of adjustment, the

rows of button holes 33 and 34 are engaged uponthe rows of buttons 43and 44 respectively. This position of adjustment is shown in Figure 1and is, of course, accompanied by a corresponding adjustment in the ties52 and 53.

In the largest adjustment of girth, the rows.

of button holes 33 and 34 are engaged upon the rows of buttons 4| and42, This position of the parts is shown in Figure 3.

As the girth sizing members 3| and 32 are moved inwardly to engage themore inwardly disposed rows of buttons, the outwardly disposed rows ofbuttons become visible upon the correspondingly exposed surfaces of thepanel portions 35 and 36. They may be permitted to remain there toproduce a decorative effect or as:

the extra rows of buttons become exposed outwardly of the folds 25 and26, they may be removed. Such removal is facilitated by the buttonmounting structure shown in Figure 5. All

of the buttons, or all except the rows 4| and 42 may be detachablyengaged upon the respective panel portions on which they are mounted. InFigure 5 the button 55 includes an orificed shank 56 which penetrates anorifice 51 in the panel portion36. The rear end of the shank 56 is thenpenetrated by one of the arms of a safety pin 53. The orifice 51 ispreferably not cut out of the fabric but is temporarily formed byplacing the relatively sharp shank through the fabric causing thethreads thereof to spread thereat. Upon removal of the pin 56 the shankmay be withdrawn and the threads of the fabric manually moved back intoplace to substantially conceal the fact that the area of the fabric waspreviously occupied by a button.

The waist band portion of the garment may be provided with a pair ofloops 60 and 6| which may be used for supporting the garment [0 upon awell known h'anger (not shown) when the garment is not in use.

While I have illustrated the connecting means in the form of buttons andbutton holes other detachably engageable interconnecting means such ashooks and eyes, snap fasteners, and. the like may be substitutedtherefor, said means acting to variously position the members 3| and 32and to interconnect them with the panel portions 35 and 36 along spacedlines to produce the variation in girth desired.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

For use by a wearer, an adjustable girth maternity skirt composed ofsheet textile material, said skirt comprising: a laterally continuousrear panel; a unitary front panel, having a pair of opposite inwardlydirected folds and a pair of opposite outwardly directed folds eachhaving a vertical row of button h'oles disposed at and below thewaistline of said skirt; stitches securing the juxtaposed upper portionsin each of said outwardly directed folds to each other for maintainingeach of said folds in folded condition, said stitches terminating atpoints immediately below the lowest of said buttonholes and above themiddle portion of the skirt, the portions of the outwardly directedfolds below the lower terminals of said stitches being loose anddisconnected so that they are free to open when moved by the legs of thewearer; a pair of ties each connected to one of said inwardly directedfolds for detachably and adjustably interconnecting the same, inhibitingrelative motion of said inwardly directed folds and reducing bulkiness;and a plurality of laterally spaced vertical rows of buttons on saidfront panel for detachably buttoning the upper portions of saidoutwardly directed folds at the waistline and therebelow to the frontpanel at a plurality of positions outwardly of said folds.

IRVING SACHS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,665 Mahoney Aug. 14, 1945564,292 Schlwinski July 21, 1886 1,031,112 Fox July 2, 1912

